Job summary
The Dietetics team at The Princess Alexandra Hospital has a job opportunity for an Acute Specialist Dietitian, with a focus on patients within the Medicine division. Other areas of practice are likely to include Critical Care, Acute Admissions and/or Surgical wards, depending on service needs.
You will have the opportunity to manage service developments, participate in parenteral nutrition rounds alongside a nutrition practitioner and pharmacist, and to develop your line management skills.
If successful, you will be supported with regular clinical supervision sessions, team CPD sessions, shadowing, peer review opportunities and appraisals. The Trust provides a variety of in-house training, for example to develop management skills, and funding for external courses can be applied for.
Main duties of the job
To work within a team to provide a dietetic service to adult inpatients and outpatients at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust. This role has a specialist focus on providing dietetic care to patients with medical diagnoses, but the role will not be limited only to this patient group. You will act as a source of expertise to patients, families and healthcare professionals in the dietary management and treatment of a diverse range of clinical conditions.
About us
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave; a national programme thats changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.
This means were working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.
Were a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.
Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL DUTIES
- To lead the Dietetic service to the Medicine health care division. This division includes elderly care medicine, orthogeriatric and respiratory specialisms. To manage a Dietetic inpatient caseload, which will include, but not be limited to, the Medicine Division. Other areas are likely to include Critical Care, Acute Admissions and/or Surgical wards, depending on service needs. To accept clinical responsibility for designated caseload and to organise this effectively and efficiently, with regards to clinical and service priorities.
- To act as a source of expertise to other Dietitians who have responsibility for wards within the Medicine Division
- To take responsibility for managing service developments relating to the Medicine health care division. This includes updating and improving existing pathways, exploring new opportunities and initiatives for patient pathway development, and delegating and overseeing service developments that other staff are working on in this area.
- If waiting lists for General and Gastroenterology outpatient clinics exceed Department key performance indicators, to hold scheduled ad hoc clinics for the above. To cover the above clinics in the absence of other colleagues.
- To provide dietetic input approximately once per week in daily Parenteral Nutrition Rounds, alongside the Nutrition Practitioner and TPN Pharmacist. To cover other Dietitians on this round, in their absence. This will include assessing and monitoring patients referred for parenteral nutrition, making clinical decisions about the appropriateness of parenteral nutrition, making recommendations for prescriptions, and advising on safe administration and routes for parenteral nutrition. Training will be provided.
- To be the joint Student Placement Lead Educator for the Department. This includes attending relevant meetings led by the University provider, organising student inductions, ensuring that relevant support is provided to students, managing any challenges, and leading halfway and final placement discussions and feedback.
- To conduct nutritional assessments and implement individualised, evidence-based treatment plans, including the calculation of nutritional requirements and interpretation of medical information. This will require analysing highly complex, and sometimes conflicting information, liaising with other healthcare professionals, and will include ethical decision making as part of a team. To evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment plans if required.
- To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements, and to communicate assessments appropriately, in the form of reports and letters.
- To be responsible for the safe discharge of patients requiring ongoing care in the community, including patients requiring artificial nutritional support. To proactively liaise with community dietitians, GPs, district nurses and relevant companies to organise the training, supply and delivery of specialist products, equipment and supplies for home enteral feeding.
- To review resources such as diet sheets provided to patients, to ensure that information is evidence-based.
- To effectively raise concerns with regards to safeguarding and/or the safety of patients or staff members through the appropriate channels.
- To attend and participate in other meetings, including Dietetic and Therapies team meetings. To attend relevant strategic and operational meetings appropriate to the area of work, and for other areas as and when requested by senior managers.
- To be the line manager to 1-2 junior members of staff. To complete regular clinical supervision sessions and performance reviews, and to provide support to other junior staff within the team, contributing to their development.
- To participate in the recruitment and induction of new staff.
- To advise and liaise with catering staff concerning the specialist dietary needs for patients, and to assist in advising the catering department regarding the preparation of special meals as required.
- To plan and participate in relevant events, such as events to promote the Dietetic and Therapies teams.
- To work within Trust clinical guidelines and HCPC guidelines to ensure a good working knowledge of national and local standards and protocols, monitoring quality of practice.
- To take responsibility for the development, update and implementation of policies relevant to the job role, ensuring these are evidence based, and in line with national strategies.
- To be an active member of relevant specialist groups and networks.
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency, and participate in regular CPD activities. To maintain a portfolio which reflects personal and clinical development in line with HCPC standards.
- To participate in regular performance reviews, and to take responsibility in achieving goals set.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL DUTIES
- To lead the Dietetic service to the Medicine health care division. This division includes elderly care medicine, orthogeriatric and respiratory specialisms. To manage a Dietetic inpatient caseload, which will include, but not be limited to, the Medicine Division. Other areas are likely to include Critical Care, Acute Admissions and/or Surgical wards, depending on service needs. To accept clinical responsibility for designated caseload and to organise this effectively and efficiently, with regards to clinical and service priorities.
- To act as a source of expertise to other Dietitians who have responsibility for wards within the Medicine Division
- To take responsibility for managing service developments relating to the Medicine health care division. This includes updating and improving existing pathways, exploring new opportunities and initiatives for patient pathway development, and delegating and overseeing service developments that other staff are working on in this area.
- If waiting lists for General and Gastroenterology outpatient clinics exceed Department key performance indicators, to hold scheduled ad hoc clinics for the above. To cover the above clinics in the absence of other colleagues.
- To provide dietetic input approximately once per week in daily Parenteral Nutrition Rounds, alongside the Nutrition Practitioner and TPN Pharmacist. To cover other Dietitians on this round, in their absence. This will include assessing and monitoring patients referred for parenteral nutrition, making clinical decisions about the appropriateness of parenteral nutrition, making recommendations for prescriptions, and advising on safe administration and routes for parenteral nutrition. Training will be provided.
- To be the joint Student Placement Lead Educator for the Department. This includes attending relevant meetings led by the University provider, organising student inductions, ensuring that relevant support is provided to students, managing any challenges, and leading halfway and final placement discussions and feedback.
- To conduct nutritional assessments and implement individualised, evidence-based treatment plans, including the calculation of nutritional requirements and interpretation of medical information. This will require analysing highly complex, and sometimes conflicting information, liaising with other healthcare professionals, and will include ethical decision making as part of a team. To evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment plans if required.
- To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements, and to communicate assessments appropriately, in the form of reports and letters.
- To be responsible for the safe discharge of patients requiring ongoing care in the community, including patients requiring artificial nutritional support. To proactively liaise with community dietitians, GPs, district nurses and relevant companies to organise the training, supply and delivery of specialist products, equipment and supplies for home enteral feeding.
- To review resources such as diet sheets provided to patients, to ensure that information is evidence-based.
- To effectively raise concerns with regards to safeguarding and/or the safety of patients or staff members through the appropriate channels.
- To attend and participate in other meetings, including Dietetic and Therapies team meetings. To attend relevant strategic and operational meetings appropriate to the area of work, and for other areas as and when requested by senior managers.
- To be the line manager to 1-2 junior members of staff. To complete regular clinical supervision sessions and performance reviews, and to provide support to other junior staff within the team, contributing to their development.
- To participate in the recruitment and induction of new staff.
- To advise and liaise with catering staff concerning the specialist dietary needs for patients, and to assist in advising the catering department regarding the preparation of special meals as required.
- To plan and participate in relevant events, such as events to promote the Dietetic and Therapies teams.
- To work within Trust clinical guidelines and HCPC guidelines to ensure a good working knowledge of national and local standards and protocols, monitoring quality of practice.
- To take responsibility for the development, update and implementation of policies relevant to the job role, ensuring these are evidence based, and in line with national strategies.
- To be an active member of relevant specialist groups and networks.
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency, and participate in regular CPD activities. To maintain a portfolio which reflects personal and clinical development in line with HCPC standards.
- To participate in regular performance reviews, and to take responsibility in achieving goals set.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics, or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
- Registered as a Dietitian with the HCPC.
Desirable
- Courses/training in relevant areas such as malnutrition, nutrition and respiratory/cardiac diagnoses, parenteral nutrition and supervision/line management.
- BDA membership.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing dietetic advice to patients with diagnoses relevant to area of specialism.
- Experience training and supporting junior staff/students.
- Experience working within in an acute setting as a dietitian.
Desirable
- Experience with delivering a service improvement.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics, or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
- Registered as a Dietitian with the HCPC.
Desirable
- Courses/training in relevant areas such as malnutrition, nutrition and respiratory/cardiac diagnoses, parenteral nutrition and supervision/line management.
- BDA membership.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing dietetic advice to patients with diagnoses relevant to area of specialism.
- Experience training and supporting junior staff/students.
- Experience working within in an acute setting as a dietitian.
Desirable
- Experience with delivering a service improvement.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
